CREDIT CARDS

Ask any web marketing consultant what is the most important ingredient of a successful web site - the standard answer will be the ability to offer your customers convenient payment methods. And no other method is as simple as Credit Card payments.

You do not want your customers to shop online and have to make the extra telephone call to make an order. What's more, he or she could be calling from the other side of the world and all they get is an answering machine. Or you may ask them to print out an online form to post to you (as most sites of this region - the Far East & Southeast Asia - does). But, then again, it is easier to fill out an on-line form. Use Credit Cards to accept payments. It's fast, it's easy and it's a lot safer than you think it is.

But how does one proceed in getting credit cards accepted over their Internet site? What are the steps that need to be taken?

1.	Decide on the Credit Cards that are most suitable for your region.
2.	Become a merchant to your selected credit cards
3.	Install the necessary credit card transaction software or other technology such as online verification of credit cards
4.	Set up your retail online store to accept credit cards with your shopping cart software
5.	Configure your web site to a secure server in compliance with the SSL2 or other relevant security standards